The present invention relates generally to disk changer apparatus for storing a plurality of disk-shaped recording media, such as CDs (Compact Disks) and DVDs (Digital Versatile Disks), and performing information reproduction or recording on a desired or designated of the stored disk-shaped recording media.
There have been known disk changer apparatus for storing a plurality of disk-shaped recording media (hereinafter called “disks”), such as CDs and DVDs, and performing information reproduction or recording on a designated one of the stored disks, and such disk changer apparatus have been used in commercial-use communication karaoke apparatus, database systems, private-use AV (Audio-Visual) equipment, etc. For example, the disk changer apparatus employed in communication karaoke apparatus, which store a plurality of disks having image data recorded thereon, perform operations for reading out the image data from a designated one of the stored disks and outputting image signals indicative of lyrics and background pictures to a performance of a karaoke music piece.
As illustratively shown in FIGS. 22 to 24, a typical example of the disk changer apparatus 200 includes a disk storage section 210 for storing a plurality of disks D supported on respective trays 201, a drive section 220 for reproducing or recording desired information from or to a designated one of the stored disks, and a disk transport section 230 for transporting a designated disk between the disk storage section 210 and the drive section 220.
Specifically, when a designated one of the disks D stored in the disk storage section 210 is to be drawn out from the storage section 210 and reproduced or recorded by the drive section 220, the disk transport section 230 moves upward to the stored position of the designated disk D as represented by an upward arrow of FIG. 22 and then pulls out and holds the designated disk D and corresponding tray 201 in the interior of the transport section 230 as illustrated in FIG. 23. As illustrated in FIG. 24, the disk transport section 230 then moves downward to a predetermined position, where the disk D held therein is loaded from the transport section 230 onto a turntable 221 of the drive section 220 with a damper 231 of the disk transport section 230 preventing the disk D from being accidentally fall off or detached from the turntable 221. Once the disk D has been appropriately loaded and set on the turntable 221, a spindle motor 222 of the drive section 220 is rotated, so that an optical pickup 223 reads out information recorded on the disk D or writes information onto the disk D. The disk D transported to the drive section 220 in the above-mentioned manner can be returned to a desired location (e.g., originally allocated position) of the disk storage section 210 by the disk transport section 230 reversing the above-mentioned operations.
Some of the disk changer apparatus employ, as their internal disk drive section, a commercially-available tray-type drive device 250 as illustratively shown in FIG. 25. In this case, modifications or adaptations are made on the commercially-available tray-type drive device 250 so as to permit insertion and withdrawal of the tray (hereinafter also referred to as a “carrying tray” where necessary to clearly distinguish from a sliding tray 252 of the drive section 220) 201 of the disk D, e.g. by removing the sliding tray 251 and front panel 252 of the drive device 250 and adding therefor tray guides 253 etc. as illustrated in FIG. 26. The drive device 250 is also modified to include a means for detecting insertion and withdrawal of the sliding tray 251.
In the disk changer apparatus 300 employing such a modified drive device 250, as illustrated in FIGS. 27 to 31, the disk transport section 230 moves upward to the stored position of a designated disk D to be take out of the disk storage section 210 (see FIG. 27), and then pulls out and holds the designated disk D and corresponding tray 201 in the interior of the transport section 230 (see FIG. 28). After that, the disk transport section 230 with the designated disk D and corresponding tray 201 held therein moves downward to a position facing a tray inserting opening of the drive device 250 (see FIG. 29) and inserts the carrying tray 201 into the interior of the drive device 250 through the tray inserting opening (see FIG. 30). Then, the drive device 250 detects the insertion of the carrying tray 201 and activates an optical pickup unit 260, so that the disk D is set on the turntable for reading/writing of information.
The disk changer apparatus 300, employing the commercially-available drive device 250 as its drive section 220, has various advantages; for example, the disk changer apparatus 300 can eliminate the need to design the drive section 220 for dedicated use by the changer apparatus as in the case of the first-mentioned conventional disk changer apparatus 200 and can select an optimum drive device from among various commercially-available drive devices.
However, to manufacture disk changer apparatus using a commercially-available drive device, it is necessary to obtain modifying parts, such as the above-mentioned tray guides, that are fit for the disk changer apparatus to be manufactured. It generally takes several months to design such modifying parts and make molds for the modifying parts. Thus, there would be a significant time lag of at least several months between the time when the drive device 250 to be used is selected and the time when manufacturing of the disk changer apparatus is actually initiated.
In fact, however, production of the commercially-available drive devices is often limited to a short period in order to meet rapidly-changing market demands for more improved functions (especially, increased operating speed); production of many of various models tends to be discontinued within less than one year from the initiation of the production, with production of some of the models being discontinued within half year or so. Therefore, there is a possibility that production of the selected drive device has already been discontinued when manufacturing of the disk changer apparatus is to be actually initiated. To address such problems, it has been necessary to previously secure a considerable number of the selected drive devices in stock. Also, under the circumstances, it has not been possible to flexibly deal with any change in a production plan of the disk changer apparatus.
Further, when the drive device of the disk changer apparatus has to be replaced with another one due to a breakdown or the like of the drive device, it is necessary to manufacture modifying parts for the new drive device, which would require a long repair time and thus cause inconveniences to the user. In such a case, a manufacturer tends to make modifying parts of insufficient durability, performance etc. with a view to finishing the repair as soon as possible, which would cause further inconveniences to the user. In addition, because the drive devices are being improved today at rapid speed as noted above, both of the manufactures and users of the disk changer apparatus may greatly benefit if there is devised a novel technique to allow the drive device of the disk changer apparatus to be readily replaced with a latest model, and it is believed that such a novel technique will highly contribute to enhancement of a product value of the disk changer apparatus.